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Border Patrol Chief Calls Derogatory Posts In Closed Facebook Group 'Inappropriate'

A Border Patrol car
Julia Reihs
/
KUT
A Border Patrol agent patrols an area in Brownsville last August.

The head of the U.S. Border Patrol says sexist posts and comments mocking migrant deaths in a closed Facebook group for agents and employees are "completely inappropriate."

Carla Provost said in a statement Monday that any employee who violated standards will be held accountable. ProPublica published a report on the group that comprises about 9,500 current and former employees. There are about 20,000 active Border Patrol agents.

Group members posted graphic doctored images of U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a New York Democrat. Other posts refer to Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Veronica Escobar, of Texas, in sexually explicit ways. One member encouraged agents to throw burritos at them during a facility tour Monday.

The assistant commissioner of the office of professional responsibility says the "disturbing social media activity" is being investigated.

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